Turns Out, I Really Enjoy Working

It’s been a few weeks since I started a regular job again for the first time in five years. I’ve started over after a divorce with kids and gotten a job I never thought I’d be doing again. Let that sink in. I’ll wait. For five years I’ve stayed home with my kids and only worked freelance writing jobs. Now I’m working as a cashier at Buffalo Wild Wings until they put me on the floor as a server and as it turns out, I’m actually really enjoying it.

Yep. I said it. I’m working a minimum wage job at a restaurant and enjoying every minute of it. The people I work with are interesting and pretty low-drama. The managers are laid back and friendly. Working as a cashier isn’t an extremely stressful job like I was expecting. I’ve genuinely liked getting out of the house and making a normal income again even if it’s low paying for now. I never imagined that going back to the workforce would be such a freeing experience. I greet people, deal with takeout orders, and clean (like a lot. Our restaurant is squeaky clean).

Screw You Depression

Working has helped to fight off my depression too. Earning for myself has had a big impact on my emotional wellbeing and frankly, I feel useful. I feel more connected to the rest of the world when I actually leave the house and see people face to face or work alongside them. Even if I haven’t struck up any friendships at work, it’s still nice to be with them. I didn’t realize how distant from people I had become when I was only working online. Outside of a very small group of women, I wasn’t connecting with other humans over the age of 8. No wonder I felt alone a lot while I was dealing with my bad marriage.

And as it turns out, I have some pretty fantastic people willing to be in my life again as long as I let them. I’ve had a lot of friends recently return from military service and even more than have been just hanging around our hometown. After my move out of my old house, I’m actually only 25 minutes away from where I was raised and where they still are. As soon as I reached out to say I was free, I was welcomed back home with open arms by people I’ve adored since I was a little freshman in high school. It was like I never moved away.

All it took was being brave enough to step away from my crumbling life and start anew. I’m signed up for college, working my awesome booty off at a new job, spending more time with my kids than ever, setting up this new blog, and reconnecting with people who make my heart feel full. Overall, I’d say I’m winning.